


Their Leader

by MazeEternal



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Everyone is mentioned, F/M, Gen, Scanlan is back, Vox Machina nest, self indulgent fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-17
Updated: 2017-02-17
Packaged: 2018-09-25 05:18:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9804218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MazeEternal/pseuds/MazeEternal
Summary: Taryon Darington and Scanlan Shorthalt have a conversation.It's just lots of feels.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This show is consuming my life. Enjoy this entirely self indulgent piece of fluff.

Taryon Darington was a man who sought adventure, who had dreamt of being legendary, slaying dragons, and proving himself to his father. His companions, however, were quite done with dragons as he had learned over the last few months. They had not been exaggerating when they told him about many of their deaths and subsequent resurrections at the hands of the little gnome cleric.

_Pike_ , he reminded himself quickly. _Pike Trickfoot’s word is law that’s what Little Elf Boy—No, Vax’ildan said._

Tary found himself standing in the doorway of one of the smaller, out of the way sitting rooms in Whitestone Castle. That day, Vox Machina had faced a terrifying monster with many eyes that shot rays of death. He had seen his friends, the first and truest ones he’d ever had, fall in battle and had fought with everything he had to keep them alive. He’d fought to save them even more than he had to keep himself alive. That had been a new experience. Vex’ahlia—the Little Elf Girl—had fallen unconscious during the battle and he had been very worried for her. But then, out of seemingly nowhere, the sound of a shawm being played melodiously filled the air and Vex’ahlia regained consciousness.

Taryon, barely standing, had caught sight of a gnome in a beret flying in on a giant purple hand. It had all been a bit of a blur afterwards, but Tary had vaguely gathered that the gnome was a good friend of Vox Machina. However, Percy being gravely injured, they had all made their way quickly back to Whitestone.

He had been extremely skeptical about the idea of a pillow fort that the twins had suggested, but as Pike had pointed out that he had never had one how could he know if he liked it or not. And, after all, Pike Trickfoot’s word was law. Now, he stood unsure of what to do in the doorway of a room that looked like it had been turned into a giant nest.

Dotty had been “put to sleep” as Keyleth liked to say in a corner of the room, Grog was lying face down in the giant nest fast asleep and Pike had curled herself into his side. Taryon couldn’t imagine how she wasn’t afraid he would roll over and crush her, but the cleric _was_ very trusting of Jumbo. With his back to Pike and Grog lay Percival with a thin and disappearing scar across his cheek, he too was fast asleep with his arms around Vex’ahlia who had her eyes closed and looked quite peaceful. Vax lay facing his sister; the twins were holding hands and their foreheads were almost touching, Tary had learned early on that they were very close although definitely their own people. Keyleth had removed her antlers and was curled up against Vax’s back. She was out cold. Beside her lay Vex’s giant bear, Trinket, who Taryon was still a little fearful of.

_Maybe I should just go to bed,_ he reasoned that no one would notice as they were all asleep.

“Funny band of misfits, aren’t they?” a voice came from somewhere near his elbow, startling him.

Tary looked down to see the gnome bard looking wistfully at the group curled in their nest and he couldn’t help but nod, “Yeah, they’re great though. They killed dragons and go on adventures. They even went to hell, you know.”

“Did they do that already? I wonder how that went,” the gnome sounded a little mournful.

Taryon grinned broadly, “Oh Dotty wrote it all down, you can read it if you want.”

His companion smiled up at him although it didn’t quite reach his eyes, Tary noticed, “That would be nice, I would like that.”

The bard was in his night clothes, Taryon realised, but he also seemed hesitant to enter into the nest that Vox Machina had created. Not for the first time that day, he wondered who exactly the gnome was and why his arrival had sparked such a desire in his friends to have a slumber party—although, he supposed, without the party aspect seeing as they were all passed out.

“They’re a family, you know,” Purple Beret said. “Grog’s not the brightest, but he’s got so much heart; he’ll stand between you and any kind of danger in a heartbeat. Pike’s so little, but she’s godsend; she keeps us all alive and when we die she’s always brought us back.”

Tary swallowed and nodded, when he looked down the bard was still staring at the sleeping members of Vox Machina.

“Percy’ll have you believe that he’s the devil incarnate and cares for no one, but it’s such a lie. He’s the cleverest man you’ll ever meet and he just knows what has to be done and isn’t afraid to do it even if it makes him seem like a bad person.”

“I’ve seen that,” he couldn’t help but add.

Purple Beret nodded, although Tary wasn’t sure whether the bard was actually acknowledging his words, “Vex’ahlia’s just as clever, but she’s the kind of clever that’ll flatter a man out of ten thousand gold in a heartbeat. She’s the treasurer for a reason, after all. It’s always better to have her on your side. Vax…dammit, Vax is a depressed paladin of a death goddess, but he loves fiercely even though he can’t handle his emotions very well. And Keyleth, Kiki’s the wisest person you’ll ever meet. She’s so—”

“Moral,” Tary supplied.

The bard grinned, “Yeah, she’s always had trouble with doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. She’s going to be the best leader the Ashari people ever have. Bards are going to sing ballads and write volumes of poetry about her greatness.”

There a pause.

“Dammit,” the gnome sounded frustrated and Tary noticed him glancing at Trinket, “even the bear is part of the family.”

Tary looked at him surprised, but couldn’t think of anything to say, which really was a first.

Purple Beret looked up at him for the first time since beginning this strange one-sided conversation, “I don’t think we’ve been formally introduced, you are?”

“Taryon Darington,” he supplied quickly holding out his hand.

“Pleasure to make your acquaintance Taryon,” the bard smiled. “Scanlan Shorthalt—”

“Leader of Vox Machina,” came Vex’s voice from inside the room.

Tary looked over to see Vex blinking owlishly at the two of them while her brother lifted his head slightly, but didn’t open his eyes.

Scanlan was about to say something when Vax interrupted, “Get in here and sleep you two assholes; we fought a fucking beholder today.”

The bard chuckled and nodded, “Yeah, let’s get some sleep.”

Taryon followed him to Trinket and the two of them rested against the massive bear. Sleep, however, didn’t come quickly as he shut his eyes and mulled over Scanlan’s introduction: _Scanlan Shorthalt, Leader of Vox Machina._ What had Vex said the first time he had met them in Marquet? _Our leader isn’t with us._ So this gnome bard, Scanlan, was their leader.

“You introduced yourself wrong,” a voice said beside him.

Tary opened his eyes in surprise to see Scanlan staring at him, “Pardon?”

“Taryon Darington,” the gnome began, “of Vox Machina.”

Before he could even react, however, the bard turned over and seemed to go straight to sleep. In spite of himself, Tary lay staring at the small man’s back for several minutes before finally he smiled and closed his eyes.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Scanlan Shorthalt, leader of Vox Machina.”

**Author's Note:**

> *gross sobbing* Why can't my children be okay?  
> Please Kudos and leave a comment, I read all of them and enjoy the feedback very much.  
> All the best, and...  
> Is it Thursday, yet?  
> Maze  
> x


End file.
